ROCK SOLID
(2000)
Two important things off the bat:
We know it's been a while since the last Card Corner - nearly nine months, in fact. The reason for the delay has largely been due to problems with our scanner -- which is still not operational, but whatever. We want to keep this going, as we at Wrestling Merchandise and Memories have a billion other trading card sets to talk about.
The other thing - and this is kind of embarassing to admit - we only own one seven-card package of this set.
In fact, I'm not entirely sure how I came across this package (a garage sale? Someone I know? Theft?), but it seems unique enough to want to discuss
Rock Solid: The People's Trading Card Series, was issued by Comic Images in 2000.
Because these cards were released well before Dwayne Johnson became the biggest movie star on the planet.... the set largely seems to capture his in-ring career. No problem with any of that, but when the highlights include Rikishi admitting that he drove the car that stuck down Stone Cold Steve Austin for The Rock... perhaps they are somewhat lacking in big moments, you know?
I mean, even in the couple of years following this card set, you have Rock debuting as The Scorpion King, his epic battles with Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Booker T, Kurt Angle, Triple H and Chris Jericho. That's not to mention his (very underrated) run as the back-from-Hollywood heel circa 2003.
What we're left with are several cards showing Rocky's street cred (e.g. out on the town, introducing Miami Dolphins games and here, The Great One is going one on one with his barber -- and not Beefcake... we checked).
Again, it makes sense because Rock was a super-popular wrestler at the time. I'm just not sure many of these hold up 19 years later the way, I don't know, WWF Classic cards might.
Wait a sec.... I only received seven cards, and one of them is a freaking checklist?!?
My research indicates that out of the entire 72-card series, six of them are checklists, which... seems a bit wasteful, no? Not sure how that ranks with other series of cards from this era, but I'm not a fan. BTW, this was the backside of the Rikishi "I did for Da Rock" card.
I have to say.... while it's hard to judge anything based on one-eighth of the total product, I'm not unhappy that I never collected this Rock Solid series.
Much like anything involving The Big Show, in fact, it looks to be just one big fat disappointment.
If ya smellllllllalalah... what The 'Dog... is cookin'.